Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Fallout From Warriors/Celtics/Heat Trade

January 15th, 2014 at 4:44pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat made initial inquiries about Kyle Lowry prior to today’s three-team trade with the Celtics and Warriors, but those talks with the Raptors went nowhere, Grantand’s Zach Lowe reports. Lowe predicts the Heat will cut either the newly acquired Toney Douglas or Roger Mason Jr. to open a roster spot for Andrew Bynum. Regardless, the trade is a “no-brainer” for Miami, Lowe believes. We’ve roundup up more news and reaction in the wake of today’s deal below:

Even if the protected first-rounder the Celtics acquired turns into a pair of second-round picks after next season, the trade still provides Boston with a “small bounty,” Lowe writes in the same piece, as teams around the league are valuing second-rounders more highly.
The departure of Joel Anthony prompts Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel to wonder if Udonis Haslem might be the next to go as the Heat continue to pursue a strategy of freeing money to keep their three stars and supplementing them with bargains.
The Warriors are still “thrilled” to have essentially passed on Jarrett Jack in favor of Andre Iguodala this summer, even though Douglas proved ineffective as a replacement at backup point guard, forcing today’s move, notes Sam Amick of USA Today.
Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com figures the depature of Crawford, who was developing into a serviceable point guard, strengthens the chances that the Celtics will keep Rajon Rondo long-term (Twitter link).
Today’s trade means the Heat have cut their projected luxury tax bill by more than 50% since the start of July, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com explains (Twitter links).
The Timberwolves weren’t among the teams interested in Jordan Crawford, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
Crawford played point guard for the Celtics, but he’s otherwise been a shoot-first gunner, and Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group believes he’ll benefit the Warriors most as a pure scorer.

Cavs Rumors: Deng, LeBron, Irving

January 13th, 2014 at 11:08am CST by Chuck Myron

Luol Deng is open to signing an extension with what he calls an “amazing organization” in Cleveland, as he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. Talks between the club and Herb Rudoy, Deng’s agent, have yet to begin and might not start up for a while. Still, Deng is impressed with the way the Cavs treat their players, and he’s excited about the team’s up-and-comers, particularly Kyrie Irving, for whom he believes “the sky is the limit.”

“If we sit down and something comes up in time, I’m more than open to it,” Deng said about the possibility of an extension. “I’m not the type of guy who wants to be chased. I’m going to play hard and work hard and look for what the best situation is for me.”

There’s more on Deng and another small forward who could hit free agency this summer, as we detail:

Sam Smith of Bulls.com has spoken with people close to LeBron James who “pretty much laugh at and dismiss” the notion that the four-time MVP would return to Cleveland this summer. James himself has kept quiet this year on the issue of his potential free agency, and as Smith points out, the Heat were a surprise choice in 2010, so it’s hard to gauge the superstar’s thinking.
If James does consider the Cavs, it would please Deng, who appears to be recruiting the Heat star in his comments to Spears, even though they play the same position. “I really think for Cleveland that LeBron knows the way he left, and he apologized for it already,” Deng said. “…And at the end of the day, he is a great basketball player and I think for him to come back to Cleveland is not only a great story, but you can’t hold grudges forever.”
Smith hears the Cavs could have a difficult time re-signing Kyrie Irving, who has interest in returning close to New Jersey, where he grew up. Irving could become a restricted free agent in 2015 if he and the Cavs don’t agree to an extension this year, but Cleveland would have the right to match any team’s offer, so as long as the Cavs view the point guard as a maximum-salary player, they wield control.

Andrew Bynum Rumors: Monday

January 13th, 2014 at 8:42am CST by Chuck Myron

At this time a week ago, Andrew Bynum was still a member of the Cavaliers, though it was clear he’d never play another game for that team. Since then, he’s been traded and released, and since he cleared waivers, there’s been plenty of chatter about his free agency. His next step won’t come quite as quickly as his previous few have, as a couple of weekend reports demonstrate. Here are the latest details:

The Heat aren’t expected to pursue Bynum, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, who includes the tidbit in this morning’s power rankings. The team’s full roster and Greg Oden‘s presence are the reasons why, the source said.

Earlier updates:

The Knicks are among the teams with interest in Bynum, but most clubs are taking a cautious approach with the former All-Star, and the race for his services is more marathon than sprint, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. New York, like many of the teams in the running for Bynum, can offer only the minimum salary, and he’s seeking more than that, Stein says.
The Clippers, at one point considered co-favorites with the Heat to sign Bynum, are leaning against doing so, Stein writes in the same piece, adding that the Thunder are similarly disinterested.
Count Portland out, too, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports the Trail Blazers haven’t inquired about the client of agent David Lee. Portland is wary of Bynum’s health as well as how he might affect a seamless locker room culture. Plus, the team already has 15 fully guaranteed contracts, as Haynes points out.

Eastern Notes: Bynum, Pacers, Heat

January 12th, 2014 at 8:18pm CST by Cray Allred

A quick look at the Eastern Conference..

The Pacers are a team that highly values and thrives with team chemistry, which would lead many to assume they wouldn’t target a player like Andrew Bynum. But that might not stop them from pursuing the free agent big man: ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter) confirms Indiana is a potential suitor, backing up The Plain Dealer’s Mary Schmitt Boyer, who first mentioned the possibility yesterday.
Stein says (Twitter link) that the Pacers‘ interest in Bynum is likely motivated more by a desire to keep him off of the rival Heat‘s roster than to tinker with the Pacers’ chemistry.
Pacers veteran Rasual Butler was among those who managed to keep his job following last week’s contract guarantee deadline, notes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “People had written him off,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “He made up his mind that he wasn’t done yet, that he was going to keep working and keep trying. . . . It’s a good story.“

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Odds & Ends: LeBron, D-League, Boogie, Melo

January 11th, 2014 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

LeBron James has a lot of reasons to be unhappy following last night’s double overtime loss to the Nets, but he’s especially irked over Mirza Teletovic‘s foul on him in the fourth quarter. The horsecollar tackle has been outlawed in football, but Teletovic apparently wanted to give it a try on the hardwood. At any rate, the game saw the Nets beat the Heat for the second time this year behind Joe Johnson‘s team high 32 points. Here’s more from around the Association..

Marc Stein of ESPN.com runs down his All-D-League Showcase team. Stein’s five: Pierre Jackson, Seth Curry, Devin Ebanks, James Nunnally, and Jarvis Varnado. No NBA assignees made the cut, but the Wolves’ Shabazz Muhammad and Nando De Colo and Malcolm Thomas of the Spurs all received something of an honorable mention.
Count DeMarcus Cousins among those who are happy to see Rudy Gay with the Kings. “He helps this team out so much. Another option offensively – I think he’s great addition,” Boogie said, according to the Kings’ official Twitter account. Since joining Sacramento, Gay is averaging 20.6 PPG and, perhaps more importantly, a career-high PER of 19.7.
Before last night’s game, James offered up some unsolicited advice for free-agent-to-be Carmelo Anthony, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com observes. “You got to do whatever makes [you] happy at the end of the day. If you’re happy, the game of basketball is going to be fun for you,” the Heat star said. “Strive to be great every day, and you can live with whatever else happens.“

Eastern Notes: Smith, Boozer, Knicks, Heat

January 11th, 2014 at 10:20am CST by Zachary Links

Indications are that J.R. Smith is still on the outs with the Knicks and his benching will probably continue today against the SIxers, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. The benching appears to have the full support of owner James Dolan and, as Berman notes, most people that cross the Knicks owner can’t get back into his good graces. More from the East..

In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if Carlos Boozer could be a fit for the Heat if the Bulls use the amnesty clause on him. While he’s likely to available come July and has South Florida ties, Winderman doesn’t see it happening. Boozer has always gone for top dollar and that probably wouldn’t change this summer.
With Luol Deng in the mix, the Cavs suddenly seem to have a balanced roster and much better ball movement on offense, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Cleveland is now 2-0 in the Deng era.
James Nunnally, whose ten-day deal with the Hawks should be finalized today, made the D-League Showcase first-team, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Odds & Ends: Knicks, Nunnally, LeBron

January 10th, 2014 at 10:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks have been shopping J.R. Smith ever since he reacted negatively to the team’s decision to waive his brother, a source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. Smith’s public and private responses to his brother’s dismissal put him in owner James Dolan’s doghouse, and evidence suggests it was Dolan who ordered Smith’s surprise benching Thursday, Isola writes. Carmelo Anthony nonetheless remains supportive of the troubled swingman, and that could be the key to Smith’s ability to stick around New York, Isola believes. While even Thursday’s win over the Heat apparently can’t stop the New York soap opera, there’s also plenty of scuttlebutt from elsewhere in the NBA:

The Hawks are set to finalize their 10-day signing of James Nunnally on Saturday, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
LeBron James and Tom Thibodeau share mutual admiration, but the Bulls would have to OK repeated luxury tax payments and Derrick Rose would have to cede crunch-time shots for LeBron to wind up with Chicago, notes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Thibodeau indicated today that the Bulls plan to send Erik Murphy to the D-League soon, observes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com (Twitter link).
Giannis Antetokounmpo would love to play with his brother, Thanasis, but he won’t pressure the Bucks to draft him this year, writes Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter links).
Australian guard Dante Exum has been meeting with agents the past few weeks, as expected, and the projected top-five pick appears to be a “lock” to enter the draft this year, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (on Twitter).
There isn’t as much motivation for teams to tank as popular opinion suggests, and even when there is, the practice demonstrates a willingness to win as much as much as it does an intention to lose, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports opines in a piece for SB Nation.

Odds & Ends: LeBron/Melo, J.R. Smith, Deng

January 9th, 2014 at 9:16pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Both Al Iannazzone of Newsday and Mitch Abramson of the New York Daily News passed along some of LeBron James‘ comments on Carmelo Anthony with regards to free agency:

“You got to do whatever makes you happy…When you’re happy, the game of basketball is going to be fun for you. Strive to be great every day and live with whatever else happens. So we’ll see.”

Asked further if he’d recommend Anthony leave some money on the table when he signs his next contract, LeBron had this to say:

“I recommend it to me…It doesn’t work for everybody. The way I live my life don’t work for everybody. All I care about is winning. I came to Miami to win. Money didn’t make me happy. Winning made me happy, and it still does. That’s what matters to me.”

We’ve got more links to pass along out of the Association tonight, and you can find them below:

Not surprisingly, George Karl deplored J.R. Smith‘s recent behavior, telling Michael Kay on 98.7 ESPN radio in New York that his former player is going to wake up one day and realize how much he’s wasted great opportunities because of this “mockery he brings to the game.” In spite of that, Karl added that Smith still has a “skill that championship teams need” and suggested that a team like the Heat or Spurs may be able to corral the erratic shooting guard: “There’s that possibility…I think right now that’s the position if I was J.R.’s agent [I would take]. I would be looking at a culture where there would be more peer pressure…I know San Antonio has always liked (J.R.) and I know they’ve thought about bringing him in…San Antonio doesn’t make a lot of mistakes” (Ian Begley of ESPN New York).
Although Luol Deng‘s agent Herb Rudoy didn’t expand upon how far apart the numbers were with the Bulls regarding contract extension discussions, he mentioned Andre Iguodala‘s contract with the Warriors (four years, $48MM) as one that would be commensurate with Deng’s ability, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago.
When asked about a potential return to Chicago for his client in the near future, Rudoy responded: “Never discussed…I have no idea. We didn’t talk about it.”
Tom Haberstroh of ESPN explores the topic of whether or not Andrew Bynum would be a good fit with the Heat (Insiders only).
Ian Begley and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York, Robert Silverman of Knickerblogger, Ethan Sherwood Strauss of TrueHoop, and Brian Windhorst of ESPN have a roundtable discussion on the Knicks and Nets‘ chances of making the playoffs, winning the Atlantic Division, getting to the second round of the playoffs, and which has the brighter future.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune goes in-depth about how the Deng trade presents an enormous opportunity for Bulls rookie Tony Snell (Subscribers only).

Stein On Bulls, Bynum, Bledsoe, J.R. Smith

January 9th, 2014 at 8:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

During a five-and-a-half minute interview earlier tonight, ESPN’s Marc Stein offered his thoughts on the Deng-Bynum trade, Eric Bledsoe‘s latest injury, and the latest on J.R. Smith and the Knicks (ESPN Radio link). You can find some of the highlights from the interview below.

On what the Deng-Bynum trade means for the Bulls:

“I really like this deal better for Chicago because they’ve reset themselves entirely as far as finances…nobody wants to part with first-round picks, but to be able to get a first-round pick for a guy who was headed to free agency, that’s a pretty impressive feat…when you look at what’s left over in Chicago, lets assume Derrick Rose comes back, they still have Jimmy Butler, they have Joakim Noah, they’ve got some picks coming in, they’re going to try to get Nikola Mirotic – who’s considered one of the top players in Europe…there’s still some pieces there…if they can hang onto Tom Thibodeau, they still have a good platform for a team moving forward.”

On Andrew Bynum‘s free agency prospects:

“…the issue with Bynum is I think everyone’s concerned because it’s been so long since he’s been motivated…the reality is that he’s still a very big guy who takes up a lot of space and did show enough flash in Cleveland to let you know he can still be a productive player when he’s in the mood…He wants to go to a contender and somewhere where he can (make more) than the league minimum. I know Dallas is very interested in him. Miami and the Clippers are two teams that have been mentioned, but I think in both cases there’s probably some hesitation as well…Miami already has Greg Oden there, do they really want two reclamation project centers on that team?

Doc Rivers has been very vocal this week saying that our concern is on the perimeter because we lost Chris Paul for six weeks…they’re not looking for a big man. Is that smoke screen from (Rivers)? I think we’ll find out pretty soon.”

On how Eric Bledsoe’s injury affects the Suns plans:

“It’s a crusher…there’s been all kinds of talk that Phoenix would move (one or two of their stash of future first-round picks) in order to try to get another frontline player and make a playoff push now…those plans are going to have to be revised most likely because it looks like Bledsoe (could) miss a significant amount of time.”

“…they won’t know exactly how bad (the condition) and they won’t know until the surgery takes place, but this is the first depressing downer to happen to Phoenix after a fairy-tale two months.”

On J.R. Smith and the Knicks:

“The reality is that I don’t think they’ll be able to move him. Now I would not co-sign on the notion that this is purely a Knicks ‘scare tactic’…the Knicks weren’t the ones who told me or Ian Begley that J.R. Smith was being shopped…I don’t think this was some sort of thing the Knicks strategically leaked because they’re trying to light a fire under (him)…They’re undoubtedly frustrated with him, they (feel) like it’s time for a fresh start for all parties, but the reality is that (Smith) has two more years left on his contract after this one, his production has dropped considerably, and off the cour there’s been four or five flareups already that have resulted in fines or negative headlines…the Knicks are realistic, they know that chances are they’re not going to find a trade partner for him, but they’re trying. They are trying and that is legitimate.”

Andrew Bynum Clears Waivers

January 9th, 2014 at 6:16pm CST by Ryan Raroque

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter), Andrew Bynum cleared waivers as of 6PM Eastern time and is now free to sign with any team, with the exception of the Cavaliers. Technically speaking, it should be noted that if Bynum were to eventually desire playing for the Cavs again, which is highly unlikely at this point, he’d be unable to sign with them until July.

Yesterday, we passed along that as much as eight teams showed interest in signing the former All-Star, and that the Heat and Clippers were among Bynum’s top choices as potential landing spots. As ESPN’s Chris Broussard also pointed out, playing time, contending status, and salary are all factors in determining the 26-year-old center’s interest (Twitter link). Miami can offer anything up to their mini-mid level of $3.2MM, whereas the Clippers are only equipped with a $1.19MM veteran’s minimum.

Based on Doc Rivers‘ recent comments about his roster, the Clippers don’t appear to be actively scouring the free agent market for a big man. As for the Heat, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter) doesn’t get a sense of overwhelming desire from Miami’s end.